


Love's Strange

by imagineyou (jokerindisguise), jokerindisguise



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, The Breakfast Club Au, background Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler/Jonathan Byers - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:35:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25569094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jokerindisguise/pseuds/imagineyou, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jokerindisguise/pseuds/jokerindisguise
Summary: Written for the ‘The Breakfast Club’ prompt forThe 80s Challengeby @nellblazer.“You were starting to get your hopes up that it would only be the four of you, but then the library door opened once again and your hopes were quickly dashed by the sight of Billy Hargrove being escorted inside by Principal Himbry. Himbry had a hand on Billy's elbow, as if he thought Billy was about to make a run for it if he didn't personally usher him inside the room. “
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Reader
Comments: 8
Kudos: 95





	Love's Strange

**Author's Note:**

> Warning for underage drinking. If you would prefer to read this on Tumblr, you can find the post [here](https://imagine-you-are.tumblr.com/post/624881065929129984/loves-strange-billy-hargrovereader).

You thought the whole concept of Saturday detention was bullshit. You didn't understand what the point was of coming into school to waste half of your weekend. You would have preferred staying after school every day for a week than giving up your Saturday. 

It wasn't as if you had anything planned, though. You would sit in your room, listening to music, and ignoring that the rest of the world existed. You would probably catch up on homework or finish the assigned novel for your English class. You didn't lead the most exciting life, but you really didn't want to spend your free time stuck in detention. 

You knew what people thought of you at Hawkins High. They thought you were quiet. They thought you were a nerd who only focused on your grades and had no fun whatsoever. You usually didn't care what anyone thought about you, though. You were there to get your diploma and then get the hell out of Hawkins. 

So what if you didn’t spend your weekends at parties or had a full social life? You didn’t know why you would bother to waste your attention on the other kids at Hawkins High anyways. They had never given you any consideration and you weren’t really jumping at the opportunity to try to change their minds about you. 

At the end of the day, they had already made up their minds about you. Did it bother you sometimes? Sure. Were you tempted to try to change their opinion of you? Not really. 

You sighed as you pulled open the front door to the school. You had been forced to walk to school, since your parents were out of town and you didn't have your own car. You didn't mind the walk, but since it was almost Thanksgiving, the air had a chill to it that took your breath away. 

Once you got inside, you started pulling off your gloves. 

"I see you've finally showed up," you heard from in front of you. 

You glanced up to see Principal Himbry standing there, an unimpressed look on his face. 

"I had to walk," you offered helplessly. 

"That's no excuse," he said. "All of you little delinquents are late." He sighed before he glanced down at his wristwatch, shaking his head when he noticed the time. "You'll be in the library. I suggest you get there now," he snapped before he brushed past you to step outside. 

You resisted the urge to roll your eyes as you made your way to the library. You weren't sure who you would be sharing detention with, but you hoped it wasn't any of the idiots you had come to dislike during your time at Hawkins High. 

When you got to the library, you noticed it was eerily silent. You considered the row of three tables taking up space in the middle of the room. Each table only had three seats, so there weren't a lot of seating choices. You were glad you were the first one in the room, since that meant you got to choose where you wanted to sit. 

You made a beeline for the table at the back. You chose the middle seat, hoping it would dissuade anyone from sitting at your table. 

You sat in the silent library for long enough that you started to wonder if you should try to find something to read to pass the time. Just as you had convinced yourself to get up, the door to the library opened and three people walked inside. 

You quirked an eyebrow at the sight of Steve Harrington striding into the room followed closely by Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers. Nancy shot you a quick look before she moved to take the middle seat of the first table, Jonathan and Steve flanking her. 

You were more than a bit surprised to see Nancy and Jonathan. They were a grade below you, but even you knew they were generally regarded as good students. Seeing Steve wasn't as much of a shock. You had a few classes with Steve and while he seemed like a level-headed guy, he also had a habit of bickering with Tommy Hagan or Billy Hargrove and disrupting class. 

You really hoped neither of them showed up for detention, because you were sure it would lead to more bickering and fighting between the boys. You only wanted to do your time and get home to enjoy what was left of your weekend. You really didn’t want to get pulled into any drama. 

You were starting to get your hopes up that it would only be the four of you, but then the library door opened once again and your hopes were quickly dashed by the sight of Billy Hargrove being escorted inside by Principal Himbry. Himbry had a hand on Billy's elbow, as if he thought Billy was about to make a run for it if he didn't personally usher him inside the room. 

Billy jerked his arm out of Himbry's grasp. "I told you I know where the library is," he insisted. "I didn't need your help." 

"Your grades would suggest otherwise, Mr. Hargrove. Take a seat." 

Billy rolled his eyes, but didn't bother to say anything as he moved forward. You noticed Steve's shoulders tense as Billy brushed past him, but you were quick to drop your gaze to the table in front of you when you noticed Billy's attention focus on you for a moment. 

You were aware of Billy dropping into the middle seat at the table in front of yours and felt relieved that he didn't choose to sit at your table. If there was anyone who didn't mind pushing boundaries just to get a rise out of people, it was Billy Hargrove. 

You didn't bother looking up again until Mr. Himbry spoke. "I know you five think you've been given a free pass to just sit around and do nothing all day, but that's not how Saturday detention in my school is run." 

Billy snorted as he tipped his head back, rolling his eyes at the ceiling. "Please, enlighten us," he remarked. 

Mr. Himbry shot Billy an exasperated glare. "I want you to write me an essay," Mr. Himbry started as he moved over towards the librarian's desk. He grabbed a small stack of loose-leaf notebook paper and a handful of pencils before he started distributing them among the five of you. You frowned down at the blank paper in front of you before you glanced up to see Himbry standing back in front of the door, his hand on the doorknob as if he was about to leave the room. 

You hastily raised your hand, hating that you were going to call attention to yourself. 

"What?" Himbry asked when he noticed you. 

"What are we supposed to write about?" 

You heard Billy groan as a smirk appeared on Himbry's face. 

"I'm glad you asked. I want you to write me an essay about your character. Explain to me why what you did was wrong and how you're going to improve so it doesn't happen again." 

Billy raised his hand. "But, sir, what if we're not sorry? What if we like our choices?" His voice had a mocking tone to it and by the annoyed expression on Himbry's face, you were sure he caught it. 

"Mr. Hargrove, I hope out of anyone in this room, you will take this day to reflect on your bad decisions. You’ve certainly made a lot of them since you decided to grace us with your presence." 

Billy leaned back in his chair as he kicked his feet up on the desk in front of him. "That'll be the day," he commented. 

"I am sick of your attitude, Mr. Hargrove," Himbry snapped. "You just earned yourself another Saturday detention." 

Billy chuckled as he moved to pull a stick of gum from the outer pocket of his jacket. Mr. Himbry crossed over to him and held his hand out. 

"And no chewing gum in the library. It's bad enough you kids stick it under the cafeteria tables. We don't need that in here either." 

"Sure thing, Mr. Himbry," Billy replied as he handed over the stick of gum. 

He waited until Mr. Himbry's back was turned before he pulled out another piece, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth. When he realized he had your attention, he shot you a wink. 

You rolled your eyes, not wanting to admit even to yourself that you found Billy Hargrove dangerously charming, even when he was being a bit of a dick. 

Mr. Himbry turned to survey the five of you. "I want those essays finished by the time you're allowed to leave here today," he said. "You will stay right here in this room. No going off into one of the private study rooms. If I think you've left your seat when I get back, I'll add another Saturday to your sentence. Do I make myself clear?" 

"Aren't you going to stay here?" Steve asked. 

"I have better things to do with my time than watch you all day, Harrington. I'll be locking you all in so I can be sure you won't leave." 

"But, sir, isn't that a fire hazard?" Billy’s tone suggested he didn’t really care, but he just wanted to piss off Mr. Himbry by bringing it up. 

"Shut it, Hargrove. You’re lucky I gave you detention and not suspension for smoking on school grounds,” Mr. Himbry responded, a displeased look on his face. 

Billy held up his hands in surrender before he reached into the inner pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. He rocked back in his seat, not caring that his head was dangerously close to the edge of your table. 

Mr. Himbry sighed and shook his head. "At least you're graduating this year," he grumbled before he turned and left the library. 

You had no intention of actually writing the essay. There was no way Himbry could grade you on it, so there was no point in actually wasting your time on it. Instead, you grabbed the pencil he had left for you on the desk and started doodling in the margins of the paper. You were mindlessly drawing stars and scribbling snatches of lyrics from some of your favorite songs when you were torn out of your thoughts by Billy's voice. 

"I should have known you would live for that extra homework bullshit," he said. When you glanced up, it was to see Billy sitting back up in his chair, his feet planted on the floor once again as he considered you over the top rim of his sunglasses. "Did you get turned on by the thought of writing another boring-as-shit essay, Miss Honor Roll?" 

You shot him a glare before you bent back over your paper. You made sure to print the letters large enough on the page to be able to read them at a distance. You held the paper up so Billy could read your message to him. 

His lips stretched in a smirk as he read the words. "Fuck off, huh? Such language from such a pretty girl." 

"Just leave her alone, Billy," Nancy cut in, shooting a glare at Billy over her shoulder. 

Billy turned back around in his seat, facing the table in front of him. "I'm surprised to see you here, princess," Billy said as he leaned forward in his seat, his gaze set on Nancy and Steve in front of him. 

Steve turned around, a scowl on his face. "Hey, don't call her that." 

Billy smirked. "I was talking to you, Harrington." 

"You're a real asshole. Do you know that?" Steve snapped, turning fully in his seat so he could consider Billy. 

"So I've been told," Billy drawled, seemingly unaffected by Steve's words. 

"Why the hell are you even here, Hargrove? I would have thought you were above showing up for a Saturday detention." 

"Oh, but then I would have missed seeing your face, Harrington. I couldn't possibly go a day without it." 

"Just do what Y/N said and fuck off, Billy," Steve spat. 

Billy chuckled before he pressed his hands to the surface of the table, pushing himself up to stand. "With pleasure," he hissed. 

You watched him move over towards the library doors. When he reached out to try to open them, they didn't budge. 

"That dick actually locked us in," you couldn't help saying. You really didn't think Mr. Himbry would go so far as to lock you all in the library. What if something happened? What if you needed to leave? 

Jonathan glanced at you over his shoulder, a surprised look on his face. 

Steve snorted as he leaned back in his seat. "Of course he did," he muttered. "Because that's just what today needed." 

Billy turned around, his focus immediately going to you. "There you go with that smart mouth again," he said as he leaned back against the locked library doors. "How did you even end up in detention in the first place? Aren't you the perfect little teacher's pet?" 

You rolled your eyes and moved to grab the paper and pencil from the desk. You pushed yourself out of your chair and then made for one of the private study rooms dotting the perimeter of the room. You didn't care if Mr. Himbry had forbidden it or if you ended up being punished for it. You would do just about anything in that moment to get away from Billy Hargrove and his insufferable attitude. 

"Oh, we've got ourselves a rebel!" Billy called after you. 

You didn't bother to look back at him or the others as you pushed the door closed behind yourself. You let out a sigh of relief when you dropped into one of the chairs found at the table in the middle of the room. You were sure you would be even more bored all by yourself in the study room, but you didn't care. If it gave you just a few moments to yourself, then you would happily take it. 

You spent a couple of hours by yourself, absently drawing your own constellations on the paper and trying to find ways to entertain yourself. 

You were thankful that it was warm enough in the room that you could slip off your jacket. You weren’t sure if the others were talking or even bothering with each other, because you couldn’t hear a thing from the main room. Sitting all alone in the study room without music or anything else to occupy your time was mind-numbingly boring, but you couldn’t help but think it was better than potentially listening to Steve and Billy fight all day. 

You were starting to get sleepy and seriously considering balling up your jacket to use as a pillow when the door to the study room abruptly opened. You were startled enough that you almost tipped out of your chair. 

"Get out of there," you heard Mr. Himbry snap behind you. 

You sighed before you made yourself get up. You grabbed your things before finally turning and looking at Mr. Himbry. He sighed and shook his head, disappointment clear in his expression as you brushed past him. 

"I'll see you here next Saturday," he told you. 

Billy was sitting in the seat you had originally claimed, his sunglasses still on his face. When he saw you, he smirked at you. "Looks like I won't be lonely next Saturday after all." 

You rolled your eyes, choosing to sit in the middle seat of the second table. 

Mr. Himbry sighed as he passed your table. "Now, if you didn't bring lunch, which I don't think any of you thought to do, then there are pre-packaged sandwiches and chips that can be found in the cafeteria." He moved to stand near the librarian's desk, his gaze fixed on the five of you as he considered you. "You," he said as he pointed at you. "And Harrington," he added after a few moments. "Go to the cafeteria and get lunch for everyone." 

Steve glanced at you before he pushed himself to his feet. You were quick to follow, glad that you would be able to leave the library for just a few moments. 

"And don't take more than ten minutes," Himbry called out. "Or it's another Saturday for the both of you," he warned. 

You really didn't want to spend your weekends leading up to Christmas in detention, so you simply nodded your head and followed Steve out of the library. 

You didn't really know Steve Harrington all that well, even if you had been in classes together for years. However, everyone at Hawkins High knew who 'King Steve' was, even if he had recently fallen from the ridiculous heights of popularity he once seemed to enjoy. 

"So," Steve started, shooting you a glance as he swung his arms idly at his sides. "Y/N, right?" 

You quirked an eyebrow at him, amused by the question. "Yeah. Steve, right?" You jokingly asked. 

Steve rolled his eyes before carding his fingers through his hair, pushing it off of his forehead. 

"I'm just trying to make small talk. I don't really know anything about you except that you're one of the smartest kids in our class. How the hell did you even end up in Saturday detention?" 

You shrugged your shoulders. "I'm more than just a nerd, _King Steve_." 

"Alright, alright. Point taken." 

"How did _you_ end up with Saturday detention?" 

Steve bit his lip before he shot you a grin. "I told Tommy H. to go fuck himself. Himbry overheard." 

"Huh," you breathed. "Knowing Tommy, I'm sure it was deserved." 

"Yeah," Steve agreed with a laugh. "Now will you tell me how you got detention?" 

"Nope," you answered. 

Steve laughed again, shooting you an amused grin, before he shook his head. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You seem to like your secrets." 

"Oh, I'm full of surprises, Harrington." 

"Yeah? I guess you are." 

A companionable silence fell over the two of you once you reached the cafeteria. You helped Steve grab the food helpfully waiting for you on the lunch table closest to the door leading to the lunch line. You caught a glimpse of one of the women who regularly worked in the cafeteria through the open door. She raised her hand in a wave when she saw you and you offered her a smile in return. 

When you got back to the library, Mr. Himbry was pointedly looking at his wristwatch. "Another minute and you would have added another Saturday to both of your sentences." He considered the both of you, a scowl forming on his face. "And where are the drinks?" 

"Uh," Steve started, shooting you an uncertain look. "You didn't mention anything about drinks, Mr. Himbry," he pointed out. 

"It was implied, Mr. Harrington." Himbry sighed before he glanced away. "Wheeler and Byers," he called, snapping his fingers at the pair. "Go get drinks for everyone." 

Nancy frowned, but didn't say anything as she got out of her seat. Steve watched Nancy as she passed by him, a look of longing on his face. You had heard about his brutal breakup with Nancy at Tina’s Halloween party and you couldn't help but feel a bit bad for him. By the look on his face, you figured it was safe to assume he wasn't over her. 

You moved to take your seat again, dropping a sandwich and bag of chips in front of Billy. 

"Thanks, baby," he purred, sitting up in his chair. 

"Don't call me that," you snapped, shooting him a glare. You faced forward in your seat, noticing Himbry stepping out of the library and closing the door behind him, leaving you alone with Steve and Billy. 

"Sure thing, sweetheart," Billy quipped, earning an eyeroll from you. "So, hey," you heard Billy say. "I heard an interesting rumor about Harrington." 

You saw Steve's shoulders tense, but he didn't bother to acknowledge that he had actually heard Billy. 

"I don't care," you answered, reaching out to slowly unwrap your sandwich. 

"I heard he's fucking both of them. Nancy and Byers." You heard Billy chuckle, as if amused by his own words. "The princess gets the freak and the jock. How's that for a fairytale ending?" 

You noticed Steve's hands clench into fists. You only shared one class with both Billy and Steve, but that was enough to know that they had a complicated relationship. Billy constantly riled Steve up and thought it was hilarious when Steve finally snapped back. Hell, Billy liked to pick at everyone. You weren't sure if it was his own way of making sure he stayed at the top of the high school food chain or if he had another reason for bullying people, but you were sick of it. 

"You know what?" You said as you turned in your seat to look at Billy. You noticed his eyebrows rise in surprise, as if he didn't think you would actually be bold enough to stand up to him. "It's none of your business if they are in a relationship. You know whose business it is? Theirs. No one else's." You considered Billy for a moment, noticing the way he seemed to be studying you. "You know what I think, Billy?" 

"Enlighten me," he retorted. 

"I think you're lonely," you told him. "You spend so much of your time antagonizing other people so you don't have to take a good, hard look at yourself. Because once everything is said and done, all you have is yourself. And maybe you don’t like you all that much." 

"You don't know a damn thing about me, sweetheart," Billy muttered, his tone close to a snarl. 

"Maybe that's because you don't want anyone to really look past those aviator glasses and that leather jacket," you pointed out. "Maybe if you let someone in, then you wouldn't feel the need to drag everyone else down with you. Maybe you should let someone lift you up." 

Billy scoffed and shook his head. "That's the biggest piece of shit I've ever heard in my life." 

You shrugged your shoulders, not bothering to respond as you turned back around in your seat. 

Steve was watching you, an unreadable expression on his face for a moment, before he grinned. You rolled your eyes, feeling yourself flush at his silent approval, before you began to pick at the sandwich in front of you. 

When Nancy and Jonathan got back, Himbry locked you in again. 

You thanked Jonathan when he handed you a can of soda. You noticed the way Steve reached out to clap a hand to Jonathan's shoulder and the soft smile Jonathan shot Steve in return. You couldn't help but wonder if there was any truth to Billy's words, but then immediately felt guilty for even thinking about it. If they really all were in a relationship, then you told yourself it wasn't any of your business. Although, a small part of you couldn't help but feel curious. 

You picked at your lunch, not really in the mood to eat. You really just wanted to go home and fall into bed. 

An hour managed to crawl past. The silence in the library was almost unnerving. You had long run out of space on your paper, so you had taken to using your pencil to try to color in the full page. 

Every so often, you heard Nancy, Steve, and Jonathan all softly whispering to each other, but you were never able to catch what they were talking about. You didn't really want to eavesdrop, but you were so bored out of your skull that you were just about ready to try anything to stop yourself from banging your head against the desk as a form of entertainment. 

"I'm bored," Billy groaned, finally breaking the silence in the room. 

"No shit, Hargrove," Steve snapped. "We're all bored." 

"Well, I have something that'll help," you heard Billy say. 

You turned in your seat to see he was reaching into his coat. When he pulled out a flask, you couldn't help but roll your eyes. 

"Of course," you muttered to yourself, turning back around to face the front. 

"What?" Billy asked defensively. "You have something against making things interesting?" 

"How is drinking going to make things interesting?" You wondered why Billy even thought to bring a flask to Saturday detention in the first place. 

"Because we're going to play a game," Billy said, reaching forward to poke at your shoulder. 

Steve turned in his seat, his eyebrow quirked at Billy. "You have to be kidding." 

"Nope," you heard Billy say, a smile in his voice. 

You heard Nancy sigh before she turned to consider Billy as well. "What game?" She sounded like she didn’t really want to ask, but she was so bored she couldn’t help but grasp at any distraction. 

Billy was silent for a moment, as if thinking over his choices. You heard him snap his fingers before he spoke again. "Never Have I Ever," he offered. 

Jonathan snorted before he blushed when you all glanced at him, having obviously been caught off-guard by Billy's suggestion. 

"What? You've got something to offer, Byers?" 

Jonathan sighed before he glanced at Billy over his shoulder. "Just thought you'd think something like that was lame." 

"I'm bored, Byers," Billy drawled as he pulled his sunglasses off before putting them back in his jacket. "There's a hell of a lot I'd do to avoid that." 

You heard Steve groan before he pushed his seat away from the table. "You know what? Fuck it," he conceded. "Sounds a lot better than sitting here in silence." 

"I never thought you'd agree with me on something, Harrington." 

"I still hate you," Steve told Billy, glaring at him. 

"Feeling's mutual," Billy sneered. 

You shook your head, still working on shading in your piece of paper. You were going to have to get up soon and sharpen your pencil if you had any hope of completing your self-assigned project. 

"I'm out," you muttered. "You guys have fun." 

"Oh, come on," Billy coaxed. "Live a little. Have some fun yourself for once." 

"I don't want to play," you told him, not even bothering to look back at him. 

"Why not? You scared I'm going to get to know you like you seem to think you know me?" 

You finally turned and met his gaze, momentarily getting drawn in by the smug look on his face. 

Playing this game with the others was probably a terrible idea. Steve had been right to guess you liked your secrets, and it was mostly because you were sick of other people judging you. You knew that Billy likely picked at people for the same reason you also didn’t let them in. You didn’t want others to see you and then decide you weren’t worth it. 

It was probably a terrible idea, but you really had nothing better to do. Besides, you didn’t like the challenging look on Billy’s face. 

"Fine," you finally bit out. "Let's play." 

"Great," he said, a smirk pulling at his lips. "What about you, Byers? Wheeler? You in?" 

Nancy rolled her eyes when Steve turned a pleading look on her. 

"Oh, come on, Nance. Don't make me play by myself." His lower lip poked out in a pout and you saw the moment Nancy began to cave. 

Nancy glanced to Jonathan, catching his hesitant nod, before a reluctant smile flashed across her face. 

"Alright," she agreed. "We're in." 

"But how is it going to work with one flask between the five of us?" You couldn't help but ask. "Don't we all need our own drink?" 

"We'll improvise," Billy answered with a shrug of his shoulders. 

"Wait," Nancy called, hastily getting to her feet. "Maybe we don't have to." 

You frowned when she went behind the front desk and disappeared into the librarian's office. She came back after a few moments with a small stack of mini paper cups. "There's a water cooler in there," she explained. "These will make things easier at any rate." 

"Alright, let's do this," Billy said, getting out of his chair. 

He moved to drop down into the seat next to yours while Nancy set the cups down in front of you. Steve and Jonathan had already turned their chairs to face your table and you felt weirdly flustered at the feeling of everyone focusing on you. 

"Look alive, nerd," Billy said, nudging you in the side with his elbow. "Make yourself useful and help me out here," he added, nodding at the cups in front of you. 

You rolled your eyes before you reached out to grab the cups. You separated them, holding one out to Billy at a time as he poured a little of whatever was in his flask into each cup. You handed them out to the others as you went, wondering if this was such a good idea. 

"Don't make me regret wasting the good stuff on you assholes," Billy said as he finished. He twisted the cap back onto his flask, shaking it for a moment as if checking to make sure he still had some left. "Plenty left to go around," he added. "So, who's going first?" 

"I've got an idea," you said, reaching behind you to grab one of Billy's blank pieces of paper. You ripped the paper into pieces and wrote a number on each one. You made quick work of folding each piece and then mixing them up. "Okay, we'll just go in order of the numbers we choose." 

"Smart," Steve commented, shooting you a quick smile, before he reached out to grab a number. 

Jonathan ended up going first. He looked like he wasn't really sure what to say at first. 

"Come on, Byers," Billy groaned. "Do you not know how to play?" 

"I do," Jonathan assured, shooting Billy a glare. "Never have I ever," he started, trailing off for a moment. "Used a fake ID," he finally finished. 

Billy snorted before he downed his shot. You noticed Steve did as well. 

Steve scrunched up his face and shook his head, turning his head to cough into his sleeve. "What the fuck is that?" 

"The good shit, Harrington," Billy said. "So shut up and drink up." 

"My turn," Steve said, holding his cup out to Billy to refill. He seemed to think about what he wanted to say for a moment before he finally spoke. "Never have I ever played hooky." 

You quirked an eyebrow at Steve. "Really?" You would have thought King Steve would have skipped school at least once before. 

"Really, really," he confirmed with a nod of his head before he smirked over at Nancy and Jonathan. 

"Not fair," Nancy grumbled before she laughed and downed her shot, Jonathan not far behind her. You noticed Billy tip his head back as he had his second shot of the game. 

He glanced over at you when he noticed you watching him. 

"You're zero for two, sweetheart. You should join in on the fun." 

"You're two for two," you reminded him. "Maybe you should start having a little less fun." 

"Never," he said, smirking at you. 

You rolled your eyes, glancing away from him. 

"Your turn, Y/N," Nancy reminded you when you were silent for a few moments. 

"Right," you agreed, staring down at the '3' you had scribbled down on the slip of paper in front of you. You weren't really sure what to say. When you agreed to play the game, you seemed to have momentarily forgotten that you really hadn't done all that much. It made it easy to do your part now, sure, but you were about to make it clear how much of a social life you didn’t have. Maybe you really were as straitlaced and boring as everyone made you out to be. 

"Tick tock, babe," Billy drawled, knocking his shoulder lightly into yours. 

"Don't call me that," you automatically said, barely even thinking about your response. "Alright, never have I ever been in a fist fight." 

You noticed Steve, Jonathan, and Billy take a shot. You glanced to Jonathan, surprised that seemingly sweet and gentle Jonathan Byers had enough fire in him to have been in a fight. 

Nancy went next, admitting that she had never been arrested. 

Billy and Jonathan downed a shot for that one. 

"You know, maybe I was wrong about you, Byers," Billy said. "You're quite the miscreant, aren't you?" 

You noticed Jonathan's face flush, so you looked to Billy, figuring turnabout was fair play. 

"Get on with it, Hargrove," you said, reaching out to tap your fingers against his slip of paper with the '5' written on it. 

"Patience, baby," Billy said. "I know how to make a good thing last." 

You heard Steve groan and shake his head. "Stop flirting with the poor girl and just get on with it, Billy. This was your idea," he pointed out. 

"Stop ruining my fun, Harrington," Billy snapped. He considered Steve for a moment before a wicked grin appeared on his face. 

You instinctively knew what he was about to say would likely be a dig at Steve. 

"Never have I ever," Billy started, pausing as if for dramatic effect. "Had a three-way," he finished after a few seconds. 

You reached out to smack him on the shoulder. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" You hissed at him, shooting a quick, worried look at the three in front of you. 

To your surprise, all three of them were taking a shot. You felt your eyes widen in surprise before you looked to Billy, noticing the satisfied smirk on his face. 

He leaned over until he was in your space. "Called it," he whispered, winking at you, before he pulled away. 

You hated to admit that you felt a tiny thrill at having Billy Hargrove so close to you that you could smell his cologne and feel his hair brush against your shoulder. You also would never admit that when he leaned away, it left you feeling just the tiniest bit bereft. You didn't understand why you seemed to have a bit of a crush on him. He did nothing but poke at people and call you pet names. He thought you were a stick in the mud and would probably never seriously glance your way when every other girl in the school was attracted to him and looking to get into his pants. 

"Uh, earth to Y/N," Steve called. "You still playing?" 

"What? Yeah," you answered, blinking at Steve. "What did I miss?" 

"Byers here has never done drugs," Billy told you, watching you expectantly. When you didn't touch your cup, he snorted and shook his head. "Why am I not surprised?" 

"Shut up," you muttered, feeling your cheeks flush. 

"My turn," Steve said. "Never have I ever flirted with a married person." 

Billy was the only one to take a shot for that turn. 

"Why am I not surprised?" You echoed, fixing Billy with an unimpressed look. 

"I can't help it if everyone knows I'm hot shit," Billy told you, seemingly unconcerned. 

"You're one of those things," you muttered, ignoring Billy's scowl. "Alright, never have I ever had a friends-with-benefits relationship." 

Billy smirked at you before he downed his shot. "We can fix that, you know." 

"You're the last person I'd want to fix that for me," you told him, even though it was mostly a lie. Would you and Billy actually have any semblance of a functioning, healthy relationship? Unlikely. Would it be hot as hell while it lasted? Most likely. 

You were able to take your first shot when Nancy admitted she never got stitches. You noticed Jonathan quirking an eyebrow at you in surprise, but you shrugged your shoulders, not wanting to get into the story. 

You hated to admit it, but as the game progressed and you got to know the others a bit more, you started actually having fun. You had managed to down a couple of more shots, admitting to being drunk at a family event and then later confessing to going skinny dipping. 

"Never thought you would have had it in you," Billy said. He swayed in his seat, bumping companionably into you. "You've surprised me, angel." 

You shrugged your shoulders, not wanting to fess up that the only reason you had gone skinny dipping was because you had been completely alone and didn't want to get your clothes wet. Still, when Billy shot you a pleased smile, you couldn't help but gift him with one of your own. 

You noticed that, to your ultimate surprise, you all seemed to be bonding. You were all so different, but it seemed one dumb party game was enough to bring you together, if only for a small amount of time. If only because all of you had nothing better to do in that moment. 

When Nancy admitted that she hadn't lied in the game, shooting a pointed look at Steve, you couldn't help but laugh when he begrudgingly drained his cup. 

"Okay, so I have played hooky before," he offered with a shrug of his shoulders. 

"I knew it!" You pointed at him accusingly, catching the amused grin on his face. 

It wasn't all fun, though. When you admitted that you never lost someone, Billy and Nancy both somberly took a shot. 

"I'm so sorry," you told them both. You knew Nancy must have been thinking about Barb. The aftermath of the discovery about Hawkins Lab and their involvement in Barb's death just a few weeks before had rocked the town. You knew that Barb’s absence had to be eating away at Nancy and couldn't imagine what it was like to lose your best friend. 

You noticed Steve's arm come up to wrap around Nancy's shoulders as Jonathan reached out to grab her hand. You glanced away from them, giving them a moment of privacy, as you considered Billy. You couldn't help but feel curious about his loss, but you knew it wasn't your place to ask. Instead, you reached out to cautiously squeeze his shoulder, before you drew your hand back. He gave you a lingering look, his eyes dipping down and then back up, as if checking you out. 

He cleared his throat, glancing over towards Nancy. "Alright, your turn Wheeler. What do you got?" 

By the time the contents of Billy's flask were dangerously low, everyone was at least a little bit tipsy. 

"Somehow, I doubt this was what we were supposed to do in detention," Jonathan said, glancing around at the group. 

"Yeah, this has almost been nice," you reluctantly admitted. 

"Enough for one more round left," Billy said, shaking the flask in his hand. He moved to stuff it back into the inner pocket of his jacket before he glanced at you. "Your turn, babe. Make it a good one." 

You didn’t even bother to tell him not to call you that, since from the shit-eating grin on his face, he knew. 

It was then you noticed everyone's attention on you. You bit your lip, struggling to think of something interesting, but not embarrassing, to confess. 

"Never have I ever had sex in a car," you finally offered, shrugging your shoulders at Billy's incredulous look. 

Only Steve, Nancy, and Billy ended up drinking to that. You glanced down to the shot in front of you before you looked to Jonathan. 

"We can be losers together," you told him, holding out your cup towards him. "Cheers?" 

You saw a brief smile flit across his face before he reached forward with his cup to tap it against yours. 

"Cheers," he said before he drained his cup. 

Once you downed your shot, you noticed Billy staring at you. 

"What?" You felt suddenly defensive, not knowing why he was watching you so closely. 

Billy startled, as if he hadn't realized he was still looking at you. "Nothing," he immediately denied, shrugging his shoulders. "Just don't get how you can be so boring." 

"What?" It felt like your stomach dropped at his words, a cold wash of dread crashing down on you. 

"You took the least shots out of all of us. You've done _nothing_ ," he added. "You just spend your days making all your little class notes and probably having wet dreams about acing your calculus exam." 

You felt the good mood you had just moments before suddenly dissipate. 

"Leave her alone, Billy," Nancy snapped. "What has she ever done to you?" 

"Y/N, are you okay?" Steve asked, leaning forward and watching you in concern. 

"Fine," you said. "Just regretting thinking that maybe Billy Hargrove wasn't such a dick for a moment." 

"Oh," Billy breathed on a helpless laugh. "So, you do have some teeth. There's the fight I was looking for." 

"I would think you've had enough of fights," Jonathan told Billy, raising an eyebrow at him. 

"I love fights," Billy argued. "Especially when I always win. Just ask Harrington here," Billy continued, gesturing towards Steve. "Or did you forget I just beat the shit out of your boyfriend a few weeks ago?" 

It wasn't long before an argument broke out. It seemed that Billy just couldn't help riling up the others. You sat at the desk, picking at the side of your paper cup, and wished that detention was over. All you could think about was Billy calling you boring and thinking that you lived and breathed for nothing except school. You weren’t sure why his words stung, but they did. 

You jumped at the sound of the library door slamming open, Himbry standing in the doorway with a scowl on his face. 

"I can hear you kids yelling from just down the hallway. What the hell is going on in here?" 

"Nothing, sir," Billy said, reaching into his jacket and pulling his sunglasses back out. He put them on, smirking at Himbry as he leaned back in his seat. "Just having a little friendly conversation." 

Himbry snorted as he walked farther into the room. You noticed Nancy hastily reach out to grab the other paper cups and stack them again before hiding them beneath her chair. 

"I know better than to think there's anything friendly about you, Hargrove. I've had to suffer through having all of you in my school for some time now. You think I don't notice things? I notice things!" Himbry's face was starting to flush red in anger as his voice steadily rose. "You kids think you run this school, but you'll be out of here soon enough! And who's stuck here taking care of the next generation? Me," he hissed, pointing a finger at Billy. 

"Uh, Mr. Himbry?" Nancy hesitantly spoke up. "Are you okay?" 

"No," he snapped. "I've had enough of this and I obviously can't trust the five of you to follow rules. So, you're each going to a study room and you're going to stay there, by yourself, until Saturday detention is over." 

"Fine by me," you muttered, already moving to grab your stuff. 

A couple of minutes later, you were back in the study room you had retreated to for solace earlier that day. You went back to trying to shade in your paper, hating that Billy Hargrove of all people had managed to get under your skin. 

You weren't sure how long you had been sitting there, glaring down at the progressively-darkening paper in front of you, before the door to your study room opened. 

You glanced over your shoulder, hoping it was Himbry telling you it was time to go home, but to your surprise it was Billy standing just inside the room. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" 

Billy shrugged his shoulders before he pulled his sunglasses off. "I was thinking," he said, moving to sit down in the chair beside yours. 

"I didn't say you were welcome here," you reminded him. 

"Come on, Y/N," Billy said, grinning at you. "You can't tell me you weren't a little excited to see me here." 

"I'm not excited to see you here. Get out," you told him, already turning away from him. 

"Hey," he called, his tone softer than before. He reached out to wrap his fingers around your wrist, tugging until you faced him again. "I wanted to apologize." 

"What?" You blurted, thrown for a loop by his words. "You can't be serious. Are you just making fun of me again?" 

"No," he insisted. "God, this is why I don't tell people I'm sorry. They always give me shit for it." 

"You have to admit it's a little unexpected given your track record," you couldn't help but point out to him. 

Billy brought his hand up to scratch the back of his neck, a nervous smile on his face that looked remarkably out of place. You were used to Billy practically oozing an obvious charm that he bestowed on anyone he thought he could get into bed. Otherwise, he was almost hostile, picking fights and mostly winning them. A nervous and awkward Billy Hargrove wasn’t something you thought you would ever witness. 

"You know, I've seen you around school before. You get this smile on your face when you think no one's looking. Like, you're away in your head and anywhere else other than this shithole. It's nice," he said. 

"You've noticed me? I thought you were too busy being too cool for someone as _boring_ as I am." 

"Oh, I've noticed you," he confirmed with a nod of his head. "And I shouldn't have called you boring. But I just always thought you were too good for me. You’re going to graduate top of the class and go to some fancy university in a big city. You’re better than Hawkins and you’re better than me." 

"Maybe I am and maybe I’m not," you said, rolling your eyes. "But maybe if you stopped being such a dick to me, then you'd find that out for yourself. Maybe if you actually got to know me, then you would know that I have more to offer than my good grades." 

Billy narrowed his eyes at you before a self-satisfied grin broke out on his face. "Alright, then," he said, leaning back in his seat. "We've still got at least an hour locked in here. What do you say to getting to know each other a little better?" 

You raised an eyebrow at him. "Just talking?" 

Billy held his hands up, palms facing towards you. "Just talking," he promised, even though the smirk on his face did nothing to convince you he wasn't lying. 

You thought that maybe Billy Hargrove wasn't capable of being alone in a room with a girl without making a dozen innuendos. You thought Billy Hargrove would have hit on you relentlessly or tried to goad you into doing something more than having a conversation. You thought Billy Hargrove would rather eat his own shoe than spend over an hour with you alone, simply talking and getting to know each other better. 

Billy Hargrove managed to surprise you. 

During your time together, you learned that the loss he admitted to earlier during the game was his mom. 

"She didn't die or anything," he told you, shrugging his shoulders as if unbothered by what he was saying. From the pained look in his eyes, you knew that he still obviously cared a lot. "But she ran out on me and I haven't seen or heard from her since. Left me in a pretty shitty situation," he confessed, carefully not looking at you. “She’s as good as dead to me now.” 

"I'm sorry," you said, at a loss for anything else to say. 

"Whatever," Billy breathed, his expression smoothing out. "So, what did someone like you do to end up in here?" 

You normally wouldn't have wanted to fess up, but after Billy had practically bared his soul for you just moments before, or as close to it as he ever got, you couldn't help but want to trust him with something of yours. 

"I threw a book through Mr. Himbry's office window. Smashed it." 

"What? That was you?" Billy looked almost impressed as he finally looked at you again. "Why the hell did you do that?" 

You shrugged your shoulders. "I was going to fail gym. I told him it was a bullshit requirement, but he wouldn't listen to me. I guess I got angry. He said the only reason I wasn't expelled was because I was top of the class." 

"A hothead, huh?" Billy chuckled, an expression that looked a lot like fond amusement appearing on his face. "I can respect that." 

As more time passed and Billy revealed more and more of himself to you, you couldn't help but wonder if he was ever this open and candid with anyone else. 

You talked about favorite movies and teachers you both hated. He told you about his car and you bemoaned your lack of one. You told him about some of your favorite books and he shared some memories about his favorite places in California. 

By the time the end of your detention was approaching, you felt like you had gotten to see a side of Billy Hargrove that no one else was allowed to. 

"So, hey," Billy started, tapping his fingers on the surface of the table. "I was thinking I could help you out." 

"With what?" You asked, wondering what he could possibly be talking about. 

"With some of your answers to that game. Or, I mean, lack of answers," he amended. "You barely got to participate. It's a little sad." 

You rolled your eyes. "I'm not having sex with you in your car just because I've never done that before." _Even if it is a nice car_ , you couldn’t help but think to yourself. 

He laughed, sounding genuinely amused by your words. "That's not what I had in mind," he muttered before he leaned forward in his chair. He reached out, tipping your chin up towards him, before he brushed his lips against yours. "This okay?" He quietly asked, pulling back only enough to meet your gaze. 

You nodded your head, pulling him back towards you. It was strange to think that you started the day dreading the sight of Billy Hargrove and now you felt almost breathless with anticipation while he was pressed so close to you. 

One little Saturday detention had somehow managed to change your opinion of him. You couldn’t help but admit to yourself that you really didn’t hate the turn of events that ended up with his lips pressed to yours and his fingers carding through your hair. 

The next time the door to your study room opened, it really was Himbry. 

"Enough!" He snapped when he caught you and Billy making out. "It's bad enough that you two ended up in Saturday detention in the first place, but it’s even worse that you just couldn't respect my rules for even one day." He sighed, sounding oddly defeated. "Detention is over. Get out of here. I'll see you two here next Saturday." As he turned, you heard him mutter under his breath. "Honestly, between these two and the other three, I'm starting to wonder why we even bother with Saturday detention anymore." 

When you turned back towards the table, you caught Billy looking at you. 

"What?" You couldn't quite read the look on his face, but it had you shivering in your seat. 

"Nothing," he answered as he reached forward. He pressed his thumb just under your jaw, a smirk on his face. "Looks like I helped you out with something after all." 

You remembered his biting kisses to the skin he was considering with an intent in his eyes that you couldn't help but melt at seeing. You also remembered admitting earlier that you had never before gotten a hickey. 

"You're something else," you muttered, moving to gather your stuff. You briefly wondered if you would be able to hide the love bites Billy had gifted you with, but a part of you really didn’t want to. 

You left the study room, aware of Billy trailing right behind you. 

When you looked up, you noticed Nancy righting her blouse just outside the study room she had been confined to earlier. Steve and Jonathan were just right behind her, talking softly to each other. 

It was then you suddenly understood Himbry's words from just moments before. You quirked an eyebrow at Nancy when she realized she had your attention and she blushed in response, shrugging her shoulders. You grinned at her before you mimed zipping your lips shut. She shot you a grateful look before turning towards Steve and Jonathan. 

"Told you," Billy whispered in your ear. 

You glanced at him over your shoulder before you shook your head. “You better not go spreading that around school,” you warned him. “It’s not yours to tell.” 

Billy didn’t bother to answer, but from the expression on his face, you hoped he agreed to keep his mouth shut. 

You walked out of the library, already dreading the walk home. You pulled your jacket back on, knowing that it would likely be freezing outside. 

When you opened the front doors to the school, you shivered at the blast of cold air that greeted you. 

You hastily tugged your gloves back on and pulled your jacket tighter around you. You only made it a few steps away from the front doors before you felt someone tug on the sleeve of your jacket. 

"Hey, nerd," Billy called, an almost affectionate tone to his voice. "Let me give you a ride home. You'll catch pneumonia walking in this cold." 

"And you care?" 

"Just get in the car, Y/N," he groaned before nodding over towards his blue Camaro. 

You watched him step towards his car before sending you a questioning glance over his shoulder. You moved to follow after him, feeling a little exhilarated as you ducked into the passenger seat. 

The car ride to your house was filled with an almost awkward silence. You weren't really sure where you stood with Billy now that you weren't sentenced to spending time together. Were you friends? Something more? Surely friends didn't make out with each other, right? You had certainly never given any of your friends a hickey. But were you dating? Were you anything other than a Saturday detention fling to Billy? 

By the time Billy pulled into your driveway, you had managed to almost convince yourself that the connection you thought you had forged with Billy was tenuous at best. He would probably never speak to you again past today and the thought hurt, even though you knew you didn't really have any claim to him or his time. 

You moved to get out of the car. You hated that he wasn't saying anything as you pushed yourself out of the car and closed the passenger side door shut behind you. 

"So, Y/N," Billy called, looking at you through the open passenger window. 

"Yeah?" You pulled your jacket tighter around you, shivering at the chill in the air. 

"Can I call you some time?" 

You felt your breath hitch, your knees going a little weak at the expectant look on his face. He looked as if he was looking forward to the idea of speaking to you again. 

"Sure," you answered, trying to keep your tone even. If you let him know just how eager you felt for more of his time, then he wouldn't let you live it down. 

"Great," he said, reaching into the front pocket of his jacket and pulling out a carton of cigarettes. He shook one out before he placed it between his lips, his gaze going to you as he lit the end of the cigarette with a lighter he pulled from the glove compartment. 

You weren't really sure if you were supposed to leave now, but you couldn't help but say one more thing before stepping away from the car. 

"So, I guess I'll see you at the next Saturday detention," you reminded him. A part of you really hoped that it was only going to be you and Billy there. You relished the idea of having Billy all to yourself. 

He smiled at you, pulling the cigarette away from his mouth to breathe out a cloud of smoke. 

"It's a date," he agreed.


End file.
